Drag Race star Madame LaQueer comes out as trans: ‘It’s never too late’
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Madame LaQueer comes out as trans (Sarah Morris/WireImage)
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Madame LaQueer has come out as trans, saying she feels “ecstatic” to live as her authentic self.
LaQueer, who made her name in Drag Race season four in 2012, came out as trans in an Instagram story on Monday (22 January), adding that she has changed her stage name to Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about her decision to come out, she said: “It’s something I’ve been pondering for years,” adding that she now goes by the name Cassie out of drag.
“I think this serves for me to be a voice for those who have persuaded themselves into not pursuing their truths and let time take over. It’s never too late to come out and live your true experience and be yourself and be authentic.
“There’s nothing like feeling loved in your own skin.”
She first realised she was transgender in 2006, but her “inner saboteur” prevented her from coming out publicly.
“I kind of talked myself out of it. A couple of years ago, I started pondering it again, but I talked myself out of it,” she said, adding that she had endured 12 years of depression over her identity.
Madame LaQueer said she finally felt able to come out after speaking to fellow Drag Race star Jade Jolie, who came out as trans last October.
“The climax of the story is just coincidentally having to carpool with Jade Jolie to a gig we had together, and we had hours to talk,” LaQueer went on to say.
“It came out in the conversation, and she knew everything I was going to say. She clocked it quickly and it just made sense. Like, girl, it’s now or never.”
Since appearing on Drag Race, several other queens have come out as their true selves, with Farrah Moan coming out as trans in December, and Adore Delano announcing her identity in July.
Other trans and non-binary stars from the franchise include include Laganja Estranja and Gigi Goode.
“I have found it has been very enlightening and probably the happiest in my adult life,” Delano said when she came out.
How did this story make you feel?
